Every year around this time, the eyes of the wrestling world turn
towards WrestleMania.

It's at WrestleMania, the most important event on the WWF schedule,
where careers are made or broken.

For many first-timers, it can be nerve-racking. With a rabid live
crowd, a huge pay-per-view audience and the promise of a large payoff,
some crack under the pressure, failing to seize the opportunity that the
wrestling world's biggest stage provides. Other WrestleMania 'rookies'
grasp their chance and make the most of it.

"Last year was great," admitted Kurt Angle who competed in his first
WrestleMania in 2000. "The whole storyline of the two titles on the
line and working with Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho ... I think that those
two are perhaps among the best wrestlers in the business. For me to go
in and wrestle two guys like that in my fourth month in the business, it
was a very good opportunity for me."

Angle views his match last year as a turning point in his career.

"I think being able to produce and from what I saw, have the best match
at WrestleMania, that was very important for my career because I think
that brought me to a level where (the WWF) could start utilizing me more
and possibly bring me into the main event picture which is what
happened. So, I'd say WrestleMania last year was definitely the make or
break for Kurt Angle."

For Eddie Guerrero, who jumped to the WWF just two months earlier,
WrestleMania was a big adrenaline rush.

"It was really exciting and exhausting at the same time. You're there a
whole week and I've never been there before so I wasn't sure what to
expect. Mentally and emotionally it's exhausting. After WrestleMania,
I was drained emotionally and mentally but it was such a rush, such a
high."

"It's a little draining but it didn't kill me by the end of the week,"
said Matt Hardy. "For me, it wasn't bad ... we did some stuff here and
there. I enjoyed doing (promotional appearances) to a degree.
Besides, WrestleMania was such a big deal and I was so excited to do it,
I could have gone and did promotional work for two or three weeks. "

Angle can relate to the feeling of WrestleMania being an exhausting
experience.

Still, Angle enjoyed taking part in the festivities of WWF Axcess and the chance to meet the throng of loyal WWF supporters.

"I think wrestling is not only entertainment, but it's also business as
well and you have to make good business with all your fans. I got
pumped up for the event because it was my first one and I was excited.
I enjoyed the heck out of it. The appreciation I got from the fans, the
match I had at WrestleMania, I just thought the whole week was great and
if anything it catapulted me to a level where I could show I was a
player in the WWF."

For Jeff Hardy, who grew up watching the event as a teenager, competing
on his first WrestleMania was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

"It was kind of hard to absorb, hard to grasp at first. Before I knew
it, I was in an important match at WrestleMania and I'm out there trying
to steal the show at WrestleMania and it's just hard to believe. It was
awesome ... totally a dream come true."

Brother Matt recalled how the twin tandem almost had a chance to work
the WrestleMania in 1999.

"We just barely missed appearing in WrestleMania 15. We were in a tag
team battle royal on 'Heat' before, which initially was going to be on
the pay-per-view. It was disappointing because everyone that is in the
professional wrestling business wants to say 'hey, I wrestled in
WrestleMania.' That's the big goal. "

Even though she didn't work the show, Lita attended the week long
festivities prior to WrestleMania and had a blast.

"Last year, it was great ... it was my first experience," said Lita. "I
had just started on TV before that so it was neat."